Container



Feb. 27, `1940. Q D, SNYDER 2,191,506

CONTAINER Filed sept. 10, 1936 /6 ZK 5.a/

INVENT /f I m4- f f7 1Q.

/6 W. l 4 AT'roRN 5 v Patented Feb. 247, 1940 i CONTAINER George D. Snyder, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to 'American `Can Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New Jersey 'Application September 10, 1936, Serial No. 100,187

s oiaims. (c1. zoe- 1) The present invention relates to a sheet metal container or can having a removable element which may be the cancover, and has particular reference to devices associated with theremovable element for supporting an article of manufacture such as an electric light bulb or the like so that the article maybe readily removed from the devices for use when the removable element is separated from the can and so lon, that the article may be held confined within thelcan and spaced away from' the vv walls thereof for shipment and storage when the removable element is applied tothe can, the removable elementproviding a yconvenient means for readily inserting the supported article into the can and withdrawing it therefrom when desired.

The invention contemplates a sheet metal can for electric light bulbs and may be utilized as an automobile light bulb kit in which one or more light` bulbs may be contained separated from the walls of the can. In the case of a can holding a plurality of bulbs the latter are separated from .each other as well as from the walls of the can to prevent breakage during shipment and storage. The invention also contemplates such a can for light bulbs other than automobile bulbs and for articles of manufacture other thanlight bulbs. Y

An object of the invention is the provision of a. 30 sheet metal can having a removable element such as a cover or the like whichis provided with yieldable clampingv devices for rsupporting and holding an article of manufacture such as an electric light bulb or the like, the article being 35 readily disengaged from the devices for use when the removable element is .separated from the rcan and also being rigidly supported in the Ican out of contact .with the can side walls when `the removable element is applied to the vvcan for ship-l 40 ment and storage. l

Another object is the provision in such a can of article supporting devices which are adapted to hold articles such -as electric light bulbs or the like having different shaped bases so that the 45 same supporting devicemay be utilized for hold.-

ing different *forms of articles of the same class. Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, 5.0 taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodimentl thereof.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective View of a can emu, bodying the instant invention, the can being provided with a removable cover'at each end and having one of the covers shown removed and spaced relative to its end;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 2--2 in Fig. l and showing bo-th I end covers in place on the can, and

Ielectric light bulbs shown in dot and dash lines held in place by clamping devices secured to the covers; j

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectiontalren substanl0 tially along the linev 3--3 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged composite perspective View' of one of the can covers including its article clamping device and the base of an electric'light L bulb showing how the latter may be readily in` 15 serted` or detached from the clamping devices, parts of the bulb being broken away.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing discloses a sheet metal container comprising al tubular body ll having removable zo elements which are'preferably cover members l2. v

Each cover is formed with a top wall 'I3 and a 'depending side wall or flange UVwhichprefer-v ably extends down outside of and adjacent .the wall of the body when in position thereon. The marginal edge of the flange I4' of each of thev coversr terminates lin a curl l5 which, when the covers are on the body,v seatsagainst an outwardly projecting bead I6 formed in the body, wall adjacent each end of the body l i. Threaded elements are formedin both bodyl and covers and `these elements cooperate to draw the flange vcurls I5 into tight engagement with the'body beads l when the covers are applied. These threaded elements include a plurality of v spaced interrupted thread sections I8 which may be struck inwardly from the cover flanges I4 and l which are dispose'dat an angle.'

Cooperating outwardly struck interrupted r thread sections IS may beforrned in the wall of 40 the body Il between the beads lli and the ends of the body. These thread'sections are also disposed at an angle to correspondwith the cover thread sections.y The thread sections iny the body and cover flanges are relatively short so thatthe' thread sections of lthe cover may pass dir ectlyfbetween the thread sections` of the body when the covers are first applied. 4.

A depending projection 2| formed at one lend of each ofthe thread sectionsl I9 provides a 50` t locking lug-which holds the engaged threads in interlocked position as shown in Fig. 2, this being after the covers have vbeen yapplied to the body and have been rotated into locked position. This general form of thread connection is often used in sheet metal cans for securing can and cover together.

Rotation of the covers is facilitated by suitable knurling 22 formed in the cover anges lll. This knurling` permits a more secure grip on the covers when they are being rotated into closed position or removed therefrom.

An article holding device or metal clamp bracket 25 is disposed in each of the covers l2, this device being preferably formed to support electric light bulbs of the type used in automobiles. Each of the brackets comprises a U-shaped member constituting a light socket open on two sides, the bracket being formed with a bottom horizontal wall 25 (Fig. 4), and two upwardly eX- tending diametrically opposed Vertical legs El.

hese legs are curved in horizontal cross-section to partially surround and yieldably engage against the usual base 28 of a light bulb 29 when the latter is inserted into the socket. The natural springiness of the metal legs due to the cut away construction of the bracket, provides a resilient or yieldable socket for the bulb and obviates the necessity for employing supplemental springs. Each bracket may be secured to the cover by a rivet 353 which extends through the bottom wall 2s of the bracket and the wall i3 of the cover. v

The wall of each of the legs 2'! is formed with outwardly struck bayonet joint sections comprising a vertical section 3l (Fig. 4) which extends to the top edge of the leg and a horizontal section 32 which communicates with the lower end of the vertical section. These bayonet sections are of sufcient dimension to accommodate the usual oppositely disposed locking pins 33 on the sides of the base 23 of the light bulb 29. lA deep depression Sli located at the terminal `end of the horizontal. section 32 serves as a-lock into which the pins 33 are snapped when the light is inserted into the socket and is rotated into locking position as in the usual manner of inserting a bulb into an automobile headlight. y

Scmelight bulbs are providedwith av .disc (shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which is secured to the light base 23 and is used in place of the pins 33 for locking the light into an automobile headlight. Provision is made as an addi-- tional element in the holding devices 25 for this type @flight base. Horizontal extensions Sii are formed on the legs 2l' their upper edges, these extensions projecting outwardly from the legs 2'! as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The outer edge of each of the extensions 3ft is formed with a hook-like ange 3l, the wall of the fiange being bent upwardly and thence inwardly providing a recess 38. The flange is further bent upwardly and outwardly providing a resilient beveled flange part 39. These hook-like'i'langes il curved horizontally to conform tothe shape of the disc 35 so that the latter maybe snapped over the inclined flange parts 39 into position in therecesses 38. In this inserted position the light bulb is securely held against inadvertent` displacement.

The brackets 25 in each of the covers I3 are identical in construction so that either of the types of light bases mentioned may be held in them. Thus if desired one light o1" each kind may be held in the pair of covers I2.

This construction of holding devices provides a simple and rigid means of separately supporting at least two light bulbs or other similar articles so that they will notengage against the side of the can or against each other,thereby materially insuring against breakage during shipment and storagegThe construction also provides a compact container which may be easily carried around and which aflords ready access to the bulbs by removing one of the covers and disengaging` the desired bulb 'from 4its socket in the usual manner of disengaging such bulbs from the sockets rof automobile headlights. In this respect the can provides a convenient light bulb kit for automobiles. p

It is thought that the invention and-many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the vparts Without vdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbe'fore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: v

l. A container for electric light bulbs and the like, comprising a tubular body open at one end, a detachable closure for said endV and a U-shaped bracket secured to said closure, said bracket including a plurality of .separate pairs of diametrically opposed resilient leg members each a1'- vranged to hold a light bulb Withinthe body spaced away from the walls thereof, one pair of saidleg members being radially offset outwardly relative to another pair of said members to provide a greater area between said rst mentioned pair of leg members7 said pairs of leg members being located concentrically With respectto each other to exclude the use of :one Vpair when the other pair is in use, one of ,said pairs of legmembers having means thereon for resiliently holding the base portion of a light bulb of one conformation,

the other pair of said leg members having means thereon for resiliently holding the base portion of alight bulb having a dierent conformation.

2. A'container provided with meansk for selectively holding any one of a plurality of diierent types and sizes of replacement light bulbs, comprising a tubular body open at one end and having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of a light bulb to be contained therein, a detachable closure for said end, and bracket means secured to said closure, said bracket means including a plurality of means of` different structural characteristics respectively located to selectively hold'light bulbs ofdifferent types in substantially the same position within said body.

3. A container provided with means for selectively holding any one of a plurality of different. vtypes and sizesof replacementlight bulbs, comprising a tubular body open at its opposite ends and having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of al light bulb to be contained therein, detachable closures for said ends, and bracket means secured to each of said closures, each of said bracket means including a plurality of means of different structural characteristics respectively located to selectively hold light bulbs of different types in substantially the same position within said body.

GEORGE D. SNYDER. 

